Hyde County deer harvest: North Carolina, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters reported 955 deer in Hyde County in the 2025-26 season: 359 antlered bucks and 534 does (NCWRC). That is 1.6 deer per square mile of land; by total the county ranked 79th of North Carolina's 100. The count was 7% above 2024-25 (893). NCWRC's records go back to 1976-77; the most in one season was 2,905 in 1993-94.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: NCWRC reported deer harvest to the 2025-26 season. Seasons: NCWRC's 2026-27 dates.
Hyde CountyGame landsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 955 (359 antlered bucks, 62 antlerless males, 534 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 1.6, 90th of 100 |
| Antlered bucks per square mile | 0.6 (NCWRC) |
| Average, 10 seasons | 992 deer a season |
| Most in one season since 1976 | 2,905 in 1993-94 |
| Deer season zone | Southeastern (gun opens Oct. 17) |
| NCWRC district | District 1, Coastal; N. Pamlico unit |
| On game lands, 2025-26 | 54 deer |
| Land area | 612.3 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 4 game lands, 32,500 acres; 128,414 acres of national wildlife refuge |
How many deer are killed in Hyde County each season?
The average over the last 10 seasons was 992; the most was 1,183 in 2016-17 and the fewest 893 in 2024-25. 2025-26 was 19% below 2016-17.
| Season | Deer reported | Per square mile |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 955 | 1.6 |
| 2024-25 | 893 | 1.5 |
| 2023-24 | 1,006 | 1.6 |
| 2022-23 | 940 | 1.5 |
| 2021-22 | 1,031 | 1.7 |
| 2020-21 | 924 | 1.5 |
| 2019-20 | 941 | 1.5 |
| 2018-19 | 975 | 1.6 |
| 2017-18 | 1,074 | 1.8 |
| 2016-17 | 1,183 | 1.9 |
How the last 2 seasons' deer were taken, and where:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Antlerless males | Does | Gun | Blackpowder | Bow | Crossbow | Game lands | Other land |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 359 | 62 | 534 | 821 | 99 | 24 | 11 | 54 | 901 |
| 2024-25 | 346 | 62 | 485 | 799 | 56 | 27 | 11 | 44 | 849 |
Sources: NCWRC reported deer harvest by county, 1976-2024; NCWRC 2024-25 reported deer harvest by county; NCWRC 2025-26 reported deer harvest by county. Per square mile uses the county's 612.3 square miles of land (Census).
When is deer season in Hyde County in 2026-27?
Hyde County is in NCWRC's Southeastern deer zone. Its 2026-27 dates:
| Method | Antlered deer | Antlerless deer |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | Sept. 12 to Oct. 2, 2026 | Same as antlered |
| Blackpowder | Oct. 3 to 16, 2026 | Same as antlered |
| Gun | Oct. 17, 2026 to Jan. 1, 2027 | Same as antlered |
Source: NCWRC hunting and trapping season dates, 2026-27. On game lands, the game land's hunting days also apply.
Where is the public hunting land in Hyde County?
| Game land | Acres in Hyde County | Deer on the whole game land, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Gull Rock Game Land | 31,112 | 18 |
| Dare Game Land | 644 | 20 |
| New Lake Game Land | 402 | 29 |
| Pungo River Game Land | 342 | 7 |
128,414 acres of national wildlife refuge lie in the county, measured on the federal maps. National forest land in North Carolina is managed as game land under NCWRC's rules.
Acres measured by FilledTag on NCWRC game land boundaries, U.S. Forest Service national forest ownership and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundaries.
How does Hyde County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyde County | Southeastern | 955 | 1.6 | -19% |
| Beaufort County | Southeastern | 2,746 | 3.3 | 15% |
| Dare County | Southeastern | 103 | 0.3 | -10% |
| Tyrrell County | Southeastern | 479 | 1.2 | -13% |
| Washington County | Southeastern | 934 | 2.7 | -27% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Hyde County, NC last season?
NCWRC reports 955 deer taken in Hyde County in the 2025-26 season: 359 antlered bucks, 62 antlerless males and 534 does. 821 were taken with a gun, 99 with blackpowder, 24 with a bow and 11 with a crossbow.
When is deer season in Hyde County in 2026-27?
Hyde County is in the Southeastern deer zone: archery Sept. 12 to Oct. 2, 2026; blackpowder Oct. 3 to 16, 2026; gun Oct. 17, 2026 to Jan. 1, 2027 (NCWRC 2026-27 season dates).
Is there public hunting land in Hyde County?
Yes. NCWRC's map puts Gull Rock Game Land (31,112 acres in the county), Dare Game Land (644 acres in the county), New Lake Game Land (402 acres in the county) and Pungo River Game Land (342 acres in the county) in Hyde County.
Has the deer harvest in Hyde County gone up or down?
From 1,183 in 2016-17 to 955 in 2025-26, 19% lower. The most since NCWRC's records began was 2,905 in 1993-94.
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Where these numbers come from
- Deer harvest: NCWRC reported deer harvest by county, 1976-2024; NCWRC 2024-25 reported deer harvest by county; NCWRC 2025-26 reported deer harvest by county.
- Deer zones and dates: NCWRC hunting and trapping season dates, 2026-27.
- Public land: NCWRC game land boundaries; U.S. Forest Service national forest ownership; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundaries. County land area: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries. Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer.
FilledTag is not part of the NC Wildlife Resources Commission. Numbers are copied from NCWRC and the Census Bureau or measured from public maps; nothing here is estimated by FilledTag.
North Carolina hunting North Carolina deer harvest by county Beaufort County Dare County Tyrrell County Washington County